With Jonathan Woodgate still out with a long-term groin injury and captain Ledley King plagued by knee problems that limit his playing time, Redknapp has been keen to bolster his defensive resources.

BBC: Tottenham sign defender William Gallas on one-year deal

In the longer term the bonus mess underlines the importance of getting the state out of finance: setting a time limit for the explicit guarantees and finding ways to lessen the implicit promise of support through living wills and the like.

ECONOMIST: Bank bonuses

She also has taken heat for helping Bloomberg get the council to agree to extend term limits so he could run for a third time in 2008, without asking the voters who had approved a two-term limit twice in the 1990s.

WSJ: City Council speaker launches NYC mayoral bid